Door opening and closing means



Sept. 18,*y 1928. 14,684,893

- H. W. SHONNARD A DooR oENING AND CLOSING ums v med oct. 9, 1925 s sheets-sheet 1 Q 0s 'N 1I o Z o O 0 O 0 EL f Ig \g ik C, Q o gs 03 Q Y u K v I @Eig g5 Q E 9g /N i .ff ft Sept; 1s, 1928. 1,684,893

H. W. SHONNARD DOOR OPENING AND CLOSING MEANS' I Filed O'ot. 9,1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 'ooo sept. 18, 1928. 1,684,893

H. W. SHONNARD DOOR OPENING AND CLOSING MEANS Filed Oct. 9, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 sept. 1s, 192s. 1,684,893.

H. W. SHONNARD DOOR OPENING AND CLOSING MEANS Filed Oct. 9, 1925 l 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 figg. 6x

Sept. 18, 1928. 1,684,893 vH. w. sHoNNARD DOOR OENING AND CLOSING MEANS Filed oct. 9', 1925 6 sheets-sheet 5 o o o o O rw Lg C O [o .f O y ,l j

. Q l i QB 2 no ol Sept. 18,. 1928.

1,684,893 H. W. SHONNARD DOOR OPENING AND CLOSING MEANS .Filed oct. 9, 1925' 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 m, 61mm, 6W@

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Patented Sept. 18, 192.8.

UNITED srAres PATENT OFFICE..

HAROLD W. SHONNARD, OF MONTOLAIR, NEW JiiRsnmAssieNoa To ELEVATOR sUP- f PLIns COMPANY, INC., A CORPORATION or NEW JERSEY.

DOOR OPENING AND CLOSING 'MEANS Application filed October 9, 1925. Serial INo` 61,623.

The present invention relates to certain improvements in the opening and closing 'mechanism of sliding doors, and more particularly to such as are used to close the doorways at the different floors along an elevator shaft.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of means adapted to be quickly mounted duringthe process of installation, and of such a nature as to be'oapable of being installed by any ordinary mechanic, instead of requiring the services of specially trained and relatively expensive labor.

Where sliding doors for elevator landings have been used it has hitherto been the practice to supply the various elements of each installation separated, and to rely j upon specially trained and high priced operatives to assemble and mount them correctly. The supporting guide rail, the door hangers `that run upon said rail, the automatic door closer, the toggle levers and theplates and bolts by which these are fastened and connected have hitherto` been assembled at each elevator landing. The mode of operation of the toggle levers in opening and closing the sliding doors is such that every part must be very carefully and accurately placed in order to obtain satisfactory operation. Small .errors in adjustment result in material derangement in operation. For instance-the doors do not fully open or close or the toggle levers do not assume correct straight locking posi` tion when the doors are closed. Jrrors of this kind have to `be corrected, sometimes withgreat diliiculty, resulting in much loss of time'and consequent added expense.

f The present invention obviates these difficulties by supplyinga complete elevator door equipment, the principal parts of which are assembled once for all in the factory, and

serve by their very construction as a perfect guide to easy and correct installation. Incidentally an important feature of the inven tion is found in the fact that the guide rail andV vertical side plate-which are permanently connected inthe factory-are mounted directly upon the side wall of the hatch; the elevator door closer being mounted upon said vertical side plate Vand serving itself as a support for zthe toggle levers. This is an important improvement. over the old plan of making the toggle levers supportthe door closer, since lighter material can be used for the toggle levers, and easier Operation of the doors is secured.

The invention also includes certain improvements inthe details of construction of the door closer, its combination with the usual electric interlock and certain improvements of importance wlierethe sliding doors are arranged tobe swung at right angles to the hatch wall, to leave the entire door opening clear, as in freight elevator practice.

The invention isl illustrated ina preferred form in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a general view ofthe preferred construction in elevationwith the two sliddoors closed, Figure 2 is a similar view of a part of the same with the doorsopened and-swung outward to clear the` entire doorway, Figure 3 is a view inelevation of the Vdetachable joint for'the toggle operating arm, Figuret is a plan view of the same,

Figure 5 is an exterior view in .elevation of the combined door closerjandcheckY showing the preferred mode of attaching the toggle arm thereto, Figure 6 is a face'view of the same with the toggle arm anolfront cover plate removed, Figure 7 is a-medial vertical section of the same, Figure 8 is a view in front elevation ofk a modified form, Figure 9 is a partial view ineleva-tion of said modified y form with the sliding door opened, Figure 10 1sa similar view of a detail on a larger scale, and Figure 11 is a sectional view of vsaid detail yon the line a-a of Figure 10.

Referring to Figure 1, two doors are shown at 10'and` 11, thedoor 10 being suspendedby sheaves 12 which roll along vthe Vguide'rail 13, so that the door 10 may bemade tomove past the door 11 parallel thereto, as usual in feature ozltfzcafpital importance in my' inA vention is found in the mode ot assembling and mounting, as already stated. In order to secure the advantages above set forth, the guide rail 13 is attached to a side plate 21, at the lower end ot which is mounted the automatic door check 20, as shown in Figure 1. The plate A21 is `fixed at right anglesto the guide rail 13. The guide rail and side plate 21 are fixed directly againstthe side `wall oiY the elevator' shaft, respectively over and beside the door opening, as shown.

. Itis now only necessary to know the width of the door opening;'knowing which, the right length of guide rail 13 is selected, and shipped, drilled ready. to be bolted to the side plate 21 bearing the door closer V2O, which plate is alsoready drilled for bolting. The.

toggle bars ete. are shipped detached.

The man who instals this apparatus has only -to bolt the plate 21'to the rail 13 and bolt the guide rail over the doorway at the proper height for the doors, taking care that this rail is* level, which will bring the platek it being understood, of course, that the necessary adjustment of the closing spring tensionV is accomplished.

' A removable guard bar 23-is supplied on the door 10 to guide and conne the swinging lever 18.

The features hitherto described may be used in combination withA automatic door closers of any-suitable type` without depart-- ing fromthe broad invention. My invention in its narrower aspect, however, comprises an improved form of rspring-operated door` closer which I shall now describe.

@As shown clearly in Figure 7, the end of the toggle bar 15 is fixed to the operating shaft 19 of the door closer, which shaft is provided with a toothed wheel 24 cooperating *with a pawlQ, Fig. '5, to maintain the desired tension on the spiral closing spring,'the ends ofwhich are shown at 26 and 2.7 in Figure 6. When in horizontal locked position, the toggle arm 15 comes down against an adjustable screw stop Q8, turning in a threaded Vsocket 29, Fig. '5. The particular vform of door closer shownis adapted for use on either side ol the door, and thus the pin 28- may be screwed into either socket 29er 30,' as circumu stances require. .j f f. The provision of an automaticV door closer and check having a construction suited to theV 24 already described.

novel mounting above described was found to involve problems and practical dilhculties which are disposed 'oinby my invention in the manner-shown in detail in Figures 5, 6 and 7.

The vgeneral casing 31 for the j closing spring, door check and interlock switch, has an opening in front through which pro jects the stationary spindle 32, upon the outer square-d port-ion of which is itted the ratchetv This spindle forms a hearing for the hollow'operating shaft 19 of Y the door closer, upon a squaredportion. of l which is` fitted the end of the toggle arml.

ln order to serve as an adjustable point of fixture tor the operatingspring Q6, the spindle32 has a centrally bored cavity atits inner end which linds a bearing on the cylindrical stub 33 carried by the removable uback plate The inner end of the operating jshatt 19 carries a cylindrical barrel 35to which is attached the outer end of the ,door-closing* springQG. This barrel 3 5 is furnished with teeth 36 which mesh with the rack 37 on the top of the plunger 38, orminga Apart ofthe door check.` This plunger moves in an oil chamber at the opposite endsof whiehare vents controlled by the needlevalves 39 and 4:0. As the plunger is pushed through the oil chamber by the teeth 36 onthe barrel 35.,

its movement is retarded `by the resista-nce of theV oil toV passage through the vents and through the connecting pipe 41; The degree of retardation can be varied by suitable f adjustment of the needlevalves. Since the barrel 35 can only move with the toggle arm 15,

'it follows that the retardation eected by the plunger 38aets through the barrel and tog gle arms to check the door movement. i

. Y l As clearly shown in the drawings, this door check iseffective with either right zhand or left hand closing doors, and prevents slamming either when; opening or vclosing the p door. f Y

`While not essential tothe invention in this y connection, I prefer -to combinewith the fr' structure just described a suitably combined electric switch to prevent operation of the..`

elevator save when thedoor is4 closed and locked by the toggle arms. For this purpose there is mounted upon an enlarged portion of the shaft 19, just withinthe casing 31, a toothed gear 42. this gear is square and fits over llattened por tions of Vthe shaft 19, so that the shaft and.

The central opening` ot'v gear have to move together.4 Asthis gear tur-nswith the shaft 19 and toggle arm .15, its teeth cooperate .with those onthetoothed sector 43 to turn the revolublemember'otl an electric switch one wayorthe other.

Thisi switch comprises {ixed conducting springs 44, 45,for closing circuit through the movable member of the switch, to effect-fthe electrical interlocking as above mentioned.

This interlock switch is in itself old and well known and is not herein shown or described.

The movable member of the switch com-l prises a revoluble stub shaft 46 tired to and plates the interlock circuit is closed. Gn the.

other hand, when the switch is turned by opening the door so that the springs 44,45 he against the pointed portions of tnebody 4.7,

circuit is open and the elevator cannot be moved. This form of switch is shown and claimed in U. i5. Patent No. 1,541,015. lt is not herein claimed, save ascombined substantially as described with the door closing means.

An important feature of this invention is found in the means whereby, when desired, the toggle arms may be disconnected from the doors, folded and supported temporarily in a substantially vertical position upon the door check 20, or other permanent pivotal support on the vertical plate 21. This is often found desirable in order to swing the doors out of the door opening, so as to make the entire width of this opening available for the passage of freight etc. It is a conspicuous advantage of this improvement that this re-v moval of the toggle arms from the doors may be accomplished without removing a single bolt, nut or other fastening. o

rlhe means for accomplishing the ends last named are illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3 and4. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the pin 17y on the plate 22, which affords the pivotal connection between the door 10 and the toggle arm 14, passes through a slot 4E) in the arm 14, at the end of which is circular enlargemeut of sutlicient diameter to permit passage of the head 51 on the pin 17.

Fhe operating lever 18, by means of which the elevator attendant moves the toggle arms in opening the door, is shaped with a bend at the end (see Fig. 3) which is normally held ttat against the end of the arm 14 by a nut 52 on the threaded pin 53, which passes through the lever 18. This pin is preferably mushroomed at its outer endto prevent complete removal, and possible mislaying ofthe nut. .The extremity7 of the lever 18 is so shaped as to partly embrace or lit partly around one side of the head 51 on the pin 17, when in the working position shown in Figure 3. ViThen so placed it confines the pin 17 to the narrow portion of the slot in the arm 14.

l/Vhen the parts are in operative position, the lower end of the operating lever 18 can be swung behind a guide strip 23 which can be unfastencd at one end and syn-ung outwarr far enough to allowthe lever 18 to be swung from under it. y o 1 l/Vhen it is desired to remove the toggle levers from the doors, preparatory to swinging themout of the doorway, the nut 52 is loosened sufliciently to'permit the end of the lever 18 to be drawn forward ont of the'plane of the head 51 on the pini?. The door 10 can then he moved far enough tobring the head 51 opposite the enlargement50 in the slotV 49. The toggle arm is then sprung forward, which frees it at once from engagement with the door 10; and, by similarly springing-the arm 15 oil-the pm 16 on the door 11, both doors are left free. rlhe toggle arms and operating lever can then be folded together sork as to be supported upright over the shaft ot the door check 2O by engaging the pawl A with the` lug B 0n the lever 15 as shown in Figure 2.

The door 11 is hinged in the usual manner,

Y to permit it to swing away from the beholder in Figure 2. The door 10 is swung on pins 54 and 55; the former affording a pivotal connection with the strip 56 supported by the sheave 12, and the latter sliding along a slot in the bottom rail or sill of the door. Upon releasing the door 10 at the bolt 57, it can be swung outward on thek pins 54, 55, as shown in Figure 2, thus leaving the entire door space open.

1n Figures 8, 9, 10, and 11 there is shown a modified form of this invention inwhich the depending lever 18 is replaced by a simple straight extension 58 ofthe toggle arm 14.

Normally this toggle arm with its extension 58 is pivotally connected with the sliding door 10 by means of a pin 59 which is fixed upon a plate 60 preferably extending across the door 10. rFhe pin passes through va circular opening inthe center of a hub 61 carrying a pivoted locking latch v62. When all the parts are in their normal working p0- sition as shown, the latch 62 engages an annular notch 63 in the pin59, and so prevents withdrawal Aof the toggle arm 14. 1n this position the latch is preferably .secured by the well known friction lock of the ball and spring typevshownat 64.

VWhen the toggle arms are to be disconnected; in order to swing 'the sliding door at right angles to normal position, itis only necessary to swing the latch 62 out of the notch G3 (see dotted `lines in Figure 10) and then draw` the hub- 61 olf of the pin 59.

` In Figures 9 and 10 there is shown a simvple form of lock adapted'for use with this form of the invention in case the operator of an elevator wishes to leave the'cage with the door open. This lock comp ises a swinging catch 65,'turning on the pin 66 and adapted to be swung into vposition to engage a shoulder 67 in the hub 61, as clearly shown in Figure 10. l f Y Y rll'he details of door operating structure and the combination. thereof with the interlock switch are not herein claimed, as they forml the subject matter of a divisional application for patent filed January 28, 1928, Serial No. 250,168. V

My improved construction may be modiiied in many` Ways Without departing from the scope of my invention, Which not limited to thedetai'ls herein shown and deof said side plate adapted to afford a pivotal support to a toggle bar.

2. Apparatus asin claim 1, wherein the pivotal support for the toggle bar comprises an automatic door closing device.

3. In apparatus for operating a sliding door, toggle arms detachably pivoted to said door, the pivot of one of said arms having a notch, and a swinging locking latch on the other arm adapted to engage in said notch.

4. In apparatus for operating a` sliding door7 toggle arms detacha pivotally mounted on thedoor and adapted to engage a shoulder on one toggle arm.

In testimony whereof I hereto affix my signature on this 7th day of October, 1925.

HAROLD W. sHoNNARD.

ly pivoted to said door, in combination with a locking latch 

